When Past Meets Present
by ladynadiad
Summary: [One shot] Guy tries to convince Van one last time that his plan is a folly, but Van will not be convinced.  Spoilers for Guy and Van's past.


**Note from Author**: As always, these characters do not belong to me, they belong to Namco Bandai. Of course as always if Namco Bandai is willing to give Asch to me, I would be happy to take him. But until then, all I can do is play around with them in my writings. This is a creation of my own overactive imagination and serious boredom, nothing more and nothing less.

Realize, very little is known about Cantabile since she only got an appearance in Tales of Fandom volume 2. From what I have seen so far, she definitely has some sort of tie to Tear, which would likely mean a tie to Van. So if she has some sort of tie to Van and Tear, how likely is it that she has a tie in to Guy? I had to really think this over when I started brainstorming for my very massive AU fic

So I admit, I took a bit from my thoughts for her for my AU, so this could be considered a bit of an AU, but not the same as my fic. It is indeed in the normal game world, I just gave Cantabile the backstory from before the game that she has there. It is indeed likely she knew Guy in the past, the biggest piece of evidence is to look at her official art. Her sword looks just like Guy's, which gave me the impression that she uses the same style as his, which was unique to Hod.

So yes, some of this comes from my own imagination as to a plausible background for Cantabile. But personality wise, she fits with Guy really well from what little we know, but otherwise it could very well fit within the premise of the game itself. In fact, the conversation at the beginning between Guy and Van did come from a sidequest.

* * *

Guy took a moment to breathe in deeply before entering the office he knew to be Van's. He had a feeling this was a futile thing, but he had to try one last time. He didn't want to be forced to kill his former servant, he hated the idea. He hated the idea of Van's plan being successful even more. What was a world without it's originals? Even if that world was freed from the shackles of the Score, it was no better than it was before. 

No, he knew he had to stop this. If Van could be brought to see reason, then that was fine. If not, there would be no mercy for him. It was the master's duty to see that errant servants were punished. He knew his duty, both to House Gardios, and to Auldrant.

He stepped inside the office. "You finally answered my call." His former servant said to him as he entered.

"…Yeah."

"We once swore to help each other. Why do you hesitate now?"

"I can't go along with what you're doing. That's all."

"What I'm doing will revive Hod."

"…No, Hod is gone. Can you say otherwise?"

The door opened, which prevented Van from answering. An Oracle Soldier entered. "Commandant! Sixth Division Commander, Cantabile has arrived to make a report." The soldier told him.

"Ah, she has impeccable timing. Send her on in." he answered.

"Right away, sir."

"Master Gailardia, it seems you have good timing, there is someone I have been wanting you to meet and it seems she is here now."

"She? Who would this person be?"

A woman with blue violet hair entered the room. She was nearly as tall as Guy himself was. She didn't pay any attention to him, however, but he couldn't take her eyes off her.

She looked vaguely familiar to him. He had only known one other with hair that particular shade, but she was as dead to him as his family was with Hod's destruction, wasn't she?

"Commandant, I have come to make my report." She spoke up, breaking Guy of his thoughts about her.

"Cantabile, before you do so, there is someone I wish to introduce you to. You might even recall him, even though you both are much older than you were when you last met. Cantabile, this is my master, Gailardia Galan Gardios. Master Gailardia, this is one of my God-Generals, Cantabile, perhaps you remember her?"

She turned back to look at the other who had been in the room when she arrived, gasping when she saw his face. "Gailardia? You are alive also?"

She had definitely changed greatly in the fifteen years since he saw her last, they had been such good friends as children. She still definitely appeared to be the tomboy she had been as a girl. The sword strapped to her shapely hip definitely had seen much use, and looking at her, she had definitely seen her fair share of trouble. It was a shame that somewhere she had lost an eye in a battle or something, he always did remember how expressive those brown eyes of hers were, especially when she was trying to convince him to cause some sort of mischief with her.

"Gailardia?" she said again, bringing him away from his thoughts. "Do you not remember me?"

"I could never forget one such as you. With all the women I have met, I don't think I have ever met one quite like you." He charmingly told her.

She laughed. "I guess that's a nice way of putting it. Just say you aren't surprised to see that I still can't act the woman. It was probably a good thing that you weren't forced to go through with marrying me like our families wanted, I would have made a horrible wife."

"You would have definitely made life very interesting. Could I fault you for that?"

"But I still would have made a horrible wife."

"I doubt that, you have matured nicely."

"I would have been the envy of all the women. You definitely have grown into a most handsome man, Gailardia."

Why did Van have to do this to him? Of all the people, it had to be her. They were to marry when they got older, and likely would have been settled in their own home with at least one child by now had Hod not fallen all those years ago. It would have been a good marriage, uniting two of the most powerful houses in Hod. "Did, um, did any of your family survive, or are you also the last?"

"I am the only surviving member of my house that I know of. Had it not been for Van, I wouldn't have even survived myself."

"I had not found any others, both of you are the last remaining members of your houses. When Hod is recreated, both of you will regain your old titles back, and have your home back. So, Master Gailardia, I ask you one last time, will help me recreate Hod?" Van interjected.

"Could I speak with Cantabile in private before I decide? She and I have a lot to catch up on."

"Of course, she can make her report later. I will await your decision." Van answered. He stood up and left them alone in the office.

He was definitely torn by this new development. He may have hated the method his former servant wished to use, but agreed with the desired result. The world had already deviated from the Score anyhow, it was of no use to continue to follow it, especially since it meant many would die as a result like his family had.

"So what did you want to say to me that couldn't be said in front of Van?" she asked him.

"Why do you fight for him? Don't you know what he plans?"

"I don't like it, but I still owe him more than I can ever repay."

"Could you fight me if it came to it?"

"If I have to, I would."

"Damn it! I don't want to have to fight you or Van. You were my best friend! I don't want to fight you!"

"You don't have to if you join us."

"I can't do that. What he's planning is insane. I may not like the Score any better, but there has to be a better way to free the world from it."

"If there was, don't you think we would have found it?"

"I really don't know, but if there is a better way, I will find it."

"I applaud your determination, Gailardia."

"Since this may be the last time we can meet in peace, tell me what you have done in all these years."

"Do you really care?"

"I do. If only there was a way to renew our friendship, but it seems we are on opposing sides now."

"Again, that is your choice."

If only she knew what a hard choice it was. Now he found himself torn between a friendship of old, and his friendship with Luke. Luke trusted him not to betray their group, and here he was, considering doing just that. Van definitely played the right cards this time. If only he could instead convince Cantabile to leave Van, then she wouldn't get hurt by all this. "I am only choosing what is right. I don't believe what Van is planning is the right thing to do."

"Then go, before Van returns for your decision."

"Cantabile, please, consider coming with me. I don't want to see you hurt, not after finding that you still live. I couldn't stand it if you died too."

"I will do what is right, if that means dying for my beliefs, then I must. May I ask a favor before you leave Gailardia?"

"If it's within my power, you can have it."

"Give me a taste of what I lost with Hod's destruction."

"What do you mean?"

"I was to be your wife. Remember as children when I stole a kiss from you?"

He stiffened all of a sudden, she couldn't mean… "I remember, you gave me a big wet sloppy kiss and I thought it rather disgusting because we were just kids."

"That was rather mean of you."

"I'm sorry. But…"

She walked closer to him. "But..?"

"What are you wanting from me now?"

"Just a small taste of what I am losing now by your leaving. I may very well die without ever having known a man's affection besides what we shared as children."

"There have to have been men who wanted you."

"Just a kiss is all I ask, to seal a promise between old friends that if we both still live after all this is over, we will find each other again.

Could he even do it? He didn't seem to feel any fear when she came closer to him, and she was so close that he could feel the heat radiating from her body. Normally a woman couldn't even get this close to him without cringing in fear. Perhaps her link to his past meant that she wouldn't cause fear in him, even though she was a woman. That and he was improving steadily anyhow. It was such a simple thing she asked too, and he had no issue promising to renew their friendship after this was over, if they both were still alive that is. "I promise. If we both still live, I will find you. And if something happens to you, I will never forget you."

"I will never forget you either. I did miss you all those years that I thought you were gone forever." She laced the fingers of her left hand in his. "Now to seal this promise…"

"Cantabile, I-I…" he started to say. Oddly though, he wasn't scared of her touching him, he was more scared that he would offend her, but that didn't stop him from being unable to move, either to run or to act.

She took matters into her own hands since he seemed unable to do anything. She wrapped her right arm around him and drew him against her. Then she brought her lips over his and kissed him.

His first thought was shock, but he didn't want to run away in fear. For some reason this woman from his past didn't scare him one bit. Her kiss was quite enjoyable too. His arms unconsciously wrapped around her and held her just as close to him as she held him to her.

He was indeed amazed at how soft and womanly she felt so close to him, nothing like he had expected when he looked at her. She hid the wondrous core of her femininity very well underneath her uniform. He could see himself enjoying exploring just what sort of secrets she held. If only she wasn't on the opposite side from him in this.

He could tell she didn't wish for this moment to end. If only they could stay like this forever, but nothing can last forever, no matter how wonderful it might be. And as quickly as she initiated their shared kiss, she moved her lips from his.

Her voice was faint as she spoke again, "That was amazing. I will indeed look forward to seeing you again, Gailardia. You give me something to look forward to."

"We don't have to part, you can come with me."

"I can't. I keep my promises. I will see you again after this is all over, only death could stop me. Now go, before Van returns."

"Good bye, Cantabile."

"Good bye, Gailardia."

He left for the inn where Luke had been left waiting for his return. Once he left, then Cantabile let the tears fall from her remaining good eye. If only her promise to Van didn't place her on the opposite side of him.

But she always kept her promises, and only death could stop her from keeping this one to Gailardia. Nothing else could keep her from him once her promise to Van was fulfilled.

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Reviews are always appreciated! 


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